Velocipede.



Patented Dec. 23, |92.

J. S. COPELAND.

V E L0 C l P E D E.

(Application filed Mar. 5, 1898.|

(No ModeL' mi' M we Nonms wenn uol, wnorumo., msnwsrou, o. cY

UNirr;

JAMES S. COPELAND, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE POPE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, AND PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

VELOCIPEDE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 716,625, dated December 23, 1902.

Application filed March 5, 1898. Serial No. 672,720. (No model.)

vas elements; and its object is to provide means by which the adjustment of the bearings with reference to the proper running contact of the gears may be more readily established and then maintained when once established in each vehicle.

To this end my invention consists in the combination of the frame having crank-shaft sockets, a removable casing which contains a rotary shaft and its bearings, and means for securing said casing in the socket; and it further consists in details of such parts and in their combination, as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a View in side elevation of part of a bicycleframe, part of a driving-wheel, and the driving mechanism. Fig. 2 is a detail top or plan view of the driving means and connections, with parts broken away to show construction. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the crank-bracket seen in side elevation with parts broken away to show construction. Fig. a is a detail view in cross-section through the crank-bracket and removable casing.

In the accompanying drawings the letter c1, denotes the frame of a bicycle, so far as it is shown; b, the frame-upright; c, the upper rear forks; CZ, the lower rear forks; e, the crank-bracket, and f the driving-wheel. The crank-shaft g is provided with cranks and pedals, and a bevel-gear h is located and secured in such manner as to turn with the crank-shaft. This gear h is preferably arranged near the outer end of the crank-shaft,

at one end of the crank-bracket, and faces inward, meshing with a bevel-gear t" on the front end of a connecting-shaft 't'. In the form of driving means shown this connecting-shaft is located in and extends through the tubular side fork d; but the precise form or location of this shaft is not material to the main feature of my invention, as the function of such shaft-is simply to transmit power from the crank-shaft to the drivingwheel ofthe vehicle. A bevel gear-wheel 'i2 is secured to the rear end of the connectingshaft and is in mesh with a bevel-gear f on the hub of the driving-wheelf. The crankshaft is supported on ball-bearings, and an important feature of my invention resides in locating the ball-cases in a removable casing k, which ts closely in the open-ended socket e in the crank-bracket e. This case k is secured in place in the crank-bracket e preferably by thinning the Wall of the bracket or cutting parallel slots therethrough, forming lugs e2 c3 on opposite sides of the thin place or slot, and locating a clamping-bolt Z in and extending between the lugs, so that a compressive force tending to reduce the diameter of the socket e can be exerted on the parts. The case k when located in the socket can thus be securely held against accidental removal.

On the crank-shaft or on asleevem, closely fitted thereon, cones m mzare provided, and they cooperate with the ballcases n n', screwed into threaded sockets in the ends of the casing 7c. Balls are located in the races between the cones and cases and the crankshaft arranged and adj usted in the casing 7c to the approximate iinal position for the proper adjustment of the main bevel-gear h with the gear t" on the connecting-shaft before the casing 7c is placed in the socket in the bracket. After the casing is introduced and before clamping it in the socket the teeth of the main gear-wheel h are engaged with those of the bevel-gear t" and the cranks turned until the proper running adjustment of the two gears is found. The casing is then clamped and can be afterward removed for any purpose without disturbing the perfect adjustment of the ball-bearings of the crank-shaft.

In the form of construction in which the ball-cases are secured directly to the crankbracket they have to be disturbed in adjusting the bevel-gears, which lie between the crankshaft and the connecting-shaft, and it is difcult to determine and properly locate any tightness of lit that may exist either between the gears or in the crank-shaft bearings. By the use of my improvement, however, the crankshaft may be closely and accurately adj usted to secure the proper contact between all parts of the bearing before the casing is put in place in the socket in the crankbracket, and this leaves the adjustment between the bevel-gears to be attained by a simple lengthwise movement of the casing within the crank-bracket.

The clamping means described, Which include the use of bolts extending through lugs on opposite sides of a thinned or slitted portion of the bracket, are easily accessible and readily operated by a Wrench to move the nuts on the threaded ends of the bolts in the ordinary manner.

The cranks or crank-arms are secured to the crank-shaft in any convenient manner, although in the form herein illustrated the crank-shaft is partible at about the middle, with the sections secured to the opposite cranks and with means for holding the inner ends of the shaft in contact with each other, so as to elfect the simultaneous rotation of the Whole crank-shaft when one pedal is moved.

I claim as my inventionl. In combination, a removable casing adapted to fit a crank-bracket, a crank-shaft mounted in said casing and having means for communicating power to other parts of the driving mechanism, ball-cases and cones located within said casing, means for adjusting said ball-cases and cones with respect to each other, means located within the circumference of the inner casing for locking the ball-cases therein, and balls located in the ball-races between the cones and ball-cases.

2. In combination in a vehicle having driv, ing mechanism including bevel-gears, a crank-bracket, a removable casing fitting Within said bracket, means for securing the casing in the bracket, a crank-shaft mounted in said casing and bearing one of the gears of the driving mechanism, ball-cases and cones mounted in the casing and adjustable with respect to each other, balls located in the ball-races between the cones and cases, and

means located within the circumference of the inner casing and arranged to lock and hold the cones and ball-cases in position.

JAMES S. COPELAND.

lVitnesses:

HERMANN F. OUNTZ, FELToN PARKER. 

